What is God Doing?

What does Satan need to have people do or say in order for him to claim them as his?

So far, we have seen some of Satan's strategies for deceiving the human race. This is so he can get them to do what he wants them to do. However we have not really analyzed what it is that Satan has to get humans to actually do in order to claim a person as his. We did, however, see very important clues in the story of Eve's temptation and Job's testing.

We saw that Satan must have the allegiance of all the people on the earth for him to rule it; And we saw in Daniel and Revelation that he will kill anyone who does not choose him as their leader. Satan will do anything to get to his goal.

There are many ways Satan has to get the allegiance of the people of this world. One of the most dramatic ways is to have people curse God, as he wanted Job to do. Or to disobey what God would have us do. Another way is to make us so busy that we have no time for God. In this way, the things we are doing have become our god.

People have become indifferent to the idea of serving God. Other things have become more important in their thinking. There are some who see a real need to get close to God; However, they keep putting off making a decision. Satan keeps putting ideas and feelings to get them sidetracked.

Since Satan is working so hard to get people to look at him for direction, let's look to see what really makes Satan mad:

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17.

Those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ are those who Satan cannot control. And remember, if Satan cannot control everyone, he will lose his goal to rule the world and loose the war against God. It is no wonder that Satan is angry.

All that he has tried to do to get them to follow him has failed. God's people will not follow Satan's lead at all. Rather, they have chosen to follow and do all what the Lord wants them to do. At this point Satan is so enraged with God's people that he wars against them to put them to death. Since he cannot control them, he will exterminate them.

To remind you what we saw in Daniel and Revelation, here is a synopsis of Satan's actions against the Righteous in the last days:

it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet.

(It) was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,

He. . . shall persecute the saints of the Most High,

Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.

Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.

he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering.

It is clear from the Bible itself that God's people will not be taken away in some rapture. No, instead we have seen actual scripture that shows that God's people will be hunted and killed for obeying God. God's people will be like Job, experiencing adversity, yet remaining loyal to God.

Elsewhere, in the book of Revelation, we see that the righteous are again identified as those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus:

Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12.

In a time of great hardship, as described in Revelation, God's people are identified as those needing endurance (patience) to continue till the end. Again, this group is identified as those who keep the commandments of God and remain loyal to Jesus.

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14.

When God's people inherit a new life with God, it is because they have been completely loyal to God by keeping his commandments and following him in all ways that they will have a right to eat from the tree of life, and they will have the right to enter into the gates of the New Jerusalem where we will live with God forever.